Operating mechanism for typewriters



2,03 April 1936- G. BAIER 7 690 OPERATING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed April 18, 1935 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 April-21, 1936. G. BAIER OPERATING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed April 18, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 21, 1936 PATENT OFFICE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR- mawm'rnns Germany Georg Baier, Altenberg, near Nuremberg,

Application April 18, 1935,

Serial No. 17,078

In Germany May 2; 193;

13 Claims. (01. 197-25) This invention relates to operating mechanisms for typewriters of the kind comprising a typecarrier that moves in straight direction, that is perpendicularly to the platen, and is driven from the key-lever by means of a double system of crank-levers, 'said system of crank-levers including a connecting member in the form of a weighted lever.

As compared with known type-operating mechanisms in which the driving members are positioned in the rear of the guides for the typeheads, thus necessitating a prolongation in the construction of the typewriter, the operating mechanism which forms part of my present in-' vention is characterized essentially by the fact, that the type-carrier is provided with an under guide-rod mounted displaceably in bearing-blocks and that the thrust and motion members which are interconnected by saidweighted lever and acting on said type-carrier are mounted above and below the rear path of motion of said guide rod.

By so constructing the operating mechanism I attain more favorable driving conditions resulting in a minimum efiort tor depressing the keylever and at the'same time in noiseless operation of said mechanism. In addition to this, the dimensions of the typewriter may be considerably shortened, which is due to the fact that the entire operating mechanism, that is the thrust and motion-members for the type-carriers are positioned very closely to the type-heads and within the space required for the motion of said guide-rod.

According to my invention, furthermore, the typewriter may be easily constructed with only two types on a type-head and accordingly only with a single lift of the carriage or platen because my new operating mechanism will immediately permit to employ side by side a greater number of keys and types as required in typewriters of this kind, without, however, increasing the width of the latter.

My invention may therefore be successfully employed especially in connection with small travelling or portable typewriters, as well as with larger standard typewriters for regular ofilce work.

.My invention further comprises a special construction of the type-operating mechanism in such a manner, that the crank-lever which im.- parts motion to the upper thrust-member upon being actuated by the keylever is provided with a straight driving slot having an outward circular extension with its center at the point 01! rotation of the lever, and that said driving slot en- 7 operating mechanism'in Figs.

.Figs. 4, 5, 6 and nism in inoperative condition,

'therebetween to be able to act by free swinging motion.

From this construction follows the advantage, that said motion and thrust-members are released from the action of the key-leverin depressed condition of the latter, with the result that said members will operate solely by action of said weighted lever. I

Furthermore, a uniform impact of the types against the platen is ensured by this construction and, in addition, a simplified arrangement for the a driving pivot of a double-armed" feed of the carriage by means of the so-called universal rail, which is operated from said cranklever by the intermediary of the additional swingable operating lever, proper mode of operation being effected and ensured that my new operating mechanism permits to place said crank-lever and said operating lever one in the rear of the other within the same plane between common bearing members.

By this specific construction of the typeoperating mechanism the mode of operating the types will be still further improved as a whole, both with respect to the bearings for the motion members as well construction and assembling of the several parts of the mechanism, and'at the same time reliably ensuring proper operation of all parts of the mechanism. 1

In the accompanying-drawings I have represented two forms of construction of my new type- 1, 2 and 3 and in 7, respectively Of said first Fig. 1 shows the type-operwhile form of construction ating mechanism in inoperative condition,

especially by the fact, i

as with respect to simplicity of Fig. 2 represents the operative condition thereof 7 and Fig. 3 is a partial top-view oi. a typewriter equipped with the new type-operating mechanism. Said second form of construction comprises an improved special arrangement of the several parts, of which Fig. 5 in operative condition; Fig. 6 is a partial top-view of the typewriter showing the bearing-bridge for the under part of the type-operating mechanism, while Fig.

,7 shows some details of the bearing and driving members co-operating with said bearing-bridge. In both forms of construction shown in the drawings the type-carrier I is provided with a Fig. i shows-said mecha-' 2 rearward extension 3 and when under guiderod 2 which in inoperative position of the typeoperating mechanism projects in rearward direc tion into the space which serves for the reception of the operating parts of the mechanism, said guide-rod 2 being mounted movabiy ina bearing member I2.

A thrust-rod 4 is hinged onto the extension I of the type-carrier l by means of a pivot I. said thrust-rod I beingfurther hinged to the one end of a double-armed lever I the other end of the latter being hinged to one end of a cranklever I; the latter is swingably mounted on a member 8, which may be adjusted by means of the screws 0 to vary the swinging motion of said crank-lever. The other end of said crank-lever is preferably P ovided with a ball ll engagingwith a recess il in thebearingmember l2 to be fixed thereby.

Pivotal connection of the double-armed lever i l2 and 1 are both of two-part construction, the

guide-rod 2 moving through the free space between both-parts of said arms of the crank-levers l3 and l,all as shown in Pig. 1 of the drawinga- In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the crank-lever i3 is in permanent operative engagement with the n-lever II which is movably coupled with the key-lever It. The ton-lever l8, moreover, is positioned in front of the crank-lever i3 and the bearing for the former ismoimted on the same transverse bridge together with the bearings l1 and I for the crank-levers l2 and 'l.

Noiseless operation of the type-operating mechanism upon return motion into its inoperative position shown in ml 1 is ensured by pads II and 2| of soft material, such as feltyrubber. leather or the like, said pads forming a 'stop or abutment for the return motion of theweighted' lever II and the key-lever l l.

In the construction shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 the part II of the type-operating mechanism is no more in permanent operative engagement with the transmission-lever IS, the ton lever l5 coupled with the'key-lever in this case engaging from the rear with the crank-lever l2. Moreover, the latter is equipped with a straight slot 24 merging into a circular extension asshown at 25, Figs. 4 and 5, the center-point of said circular extension coinciding with the center of rotation 21 of the crank-lever ii. A pivot 28 engages with said slot 24, said pivot 26 being mounted at the one end of a double-armed transmission-lever I 5 swinging about the bearing-pivot 2 I,

while the other end of said lever nection with the key-lever It.

The transmission-lever l5 is stopped in its swinging motion, for instance by abutting against its bearing 2!, in such'a manner that the oper ating or thrust-members i2, it as wellas l, I are released near the end-position of the de- II is in conpressed key-lever and enabled to follow the motion of the weighted lever i4 forming part of the operating members of the and to freely act onto the type carrier 3. The cranklever I2 is equipped near its bearing point 21 with a nose or pawl 23 and acted upon by a retractthe two bearing members II on the transverse bridge I, and mounted swingably round the pivot 28 so as to abut with its free end against a yielding pad 2! which may consist of leather, rubber or the like. The freeend of s'aid'actuating lever 20 engages from underneath with the universal rail II hinged to the bearing-beam l2, said universal rail ll actuating thefeed'ofthe carriage subsequent to each'depression of the-key-lever. Betweenthe bearing members I! on the transverse bridge it, besides the crank-lever l2 and the actuating lever 2' which are positioned in the same plane one in the rear of the other, there is also mounted the bearing-block I carrying the crank-lever 1 for connection with the thrust-members i, l. The bearing-block I is mounted movably on the axle 28 to permit ad-i iustment of the swinging motion, said axle 28;

carrying also the actuating lever 2|. Said bearing block I is supported by two adjusting screws I acting-against the base of the bearing, the

alternate adjustment oi said screws permitting to vary theposition of said bearing block I and therewith tov move or swing the bearing-head that carries the crank-lever somewhat towards the left or towards the right. From this arrangement of the several parts of the type-operating mechanism follows the possibility of adjusting the stroke of the types with respect to the platen.

In the above mentioned second form oi construction of the type-operating m according to-Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 the operationo'f the several parts, as seen from the position of rest '(Fig. 4) will be as follows:

Upon depression of the key-lever II the transmission-lever I! will be rotated, the swinging motion' of the latter being limited by abutment head I against the platen. Before completion of this motion the pivot 26 on the transmission-lever II is disengaged from the slot 24 in the cranklever i2 and now comes in engagement with the circular extension 25 of said slot, thus-releasing the type-operating inembersfrom the key-lever l6 and causing said members to be actuated by the momgitum of the weighted lever M to follow the otion of the latter striking the type against the platen, u shown in Fig. 5.

The pawl 23 on the crank-lever it, upon rotation of the latter, acts onto the head-piece 22 of the actuating lever 20, thus swinging the free end of the latter upward round the point of rotation 28 and lifting the rail ll to initiate feeding motion for the undue. Upon completion of the imprint the type-operating members will by the weight of the feed-rail 2| acting onto the lever 20, the head-piece, of the latter abutting against the pawl 23 on the crank-lever it. The

type-operating members will thus return very Obviously. the

quickly into inoperative position. construction of my new type-operating mechanism permits to operate the typewriter at a greater speed than had heretofore been possible.

In Fig. '7 I have separately shown the parts of my new type-operating mechanism that are placed, besides the crank-lever l3, between the two bearing-members I'I on the transverse bridge I, that is .the bearing-head B and the actuating lever 20.

' On the transverse bridge l9, as may be seen especially from Fig. 6, there is mounted in radial arrangement a 'proper number of bearing-members H, the operating members tor the several types being mounted side by side between said bearing members in the manner described hereinabove.

. I claim:

1. Operating mechanism for typewriters, said mechanism comprising a type-carrier, guidemeans for guiding said type-carrier in a direction perpendicular to the platen of a typewriter, a keylever, a system of thrust and motion members including a weighted lever interposed between said type-carrier and said key-lever. said guide-means including a guide-rod mounted displaceablyin bearing-elements, a crank-lever mounted swingably on a bearing-block positioned below said guide-rod, adjusting means for said bearingblock to vary the swing of said crank-lever, and operative connections between said thrust-members.and the one end of said crank-lever, the other end of said crank-lever engaging with one of said bearing-elements, bearings ior said syster of thrust and motion members and said cranklever, said bearings being. positioned below said guide-rod, said system of thrust and motion members being mounted partlyvabove and partly below said guide-rod.

2. Operating mechanism for typewriters, said mechanism comprising a type-carrier, guidemeans for guiding said type-carrier in a direction perpendicular to the platen of a typewriter, a key-lever, a system of thrust and motion members including a weighted lever interposed between said type-carrier and said key-lever, said guidemeans including a guide-rod mounted displaceative connections between said thrust-members ably in bearing-elements, a crank-lever mounted swingably on a bearing-block positioned below said guide-rod, adjusting means for said bearingblock to vary the swing of said crank-lever, opera key-lever, a system of thrust and motion members including a weighted lever interposed between said type-carrier and said key-lever, said guide-means including a guiderod mounted displaceably in bearing-elements, a crank-lever mounted swingably' on a bearing-block positioned below said 'guide rod, adjusting means for said bearing-block to vary the swing of said crank- -system of levers key-lever, a system of lever,operative connections between said thrustmembers and 'the one end of said crank-lever, the other end of said crank-lever engaging with one of said bearing-elements, bearings for said system of thrust and motion members and said crank-lever, said bearings being positioned below said guide-rod, said system of thrust and motion members being mounted partly above and partly below said guide-rod, said crank-lever being of two-part construction providing a space therebetween,- said guide-rod passing through said space. a

4. Operating mechanism for typewriters, said mechanism comprising a type-carrier, guidemeans for guiding-said type-carrier in a direction perpendicular to the platen of a typewriter. a key-lever, a system of thrust and motion members including a weighted lever interposed between said type-carrier and said key-lever, said guide-means including a guide-rod mounted displaceably in bearing-elements, bearings for said thrust-members, and a thrust lever operatively connected to said thrust and motion members and the carriage feed mechanism, said bearings and said thrust lever being mounted on a common bearing-bridge positioned between said guide-rod and said key-lever, said system of thrust and motion members including said weighted lever being as a whole positioned partly above and partly below said guide-rod.

5. Operating mechanism for typewriters, said mechanism comprising a type-carrier, a keylever, a system of levers interposed between said key-lever and said type-carrler, said system of levers including a weighted lever, a guide-rod .for said type-carrier, said guide-rod being displaceably mounted in bearing-elements, said and said weighted lever being mounted as a whole partly above and partly below said guide-rod, a pawl on one of said levers,

an actuating lever, and a universal rail operatively engaged with said actuating lever for feeding the carriage of the typewriter, said pawl engaging with the head-piece of. said actuating lever whereby said rail is under control of said pawl.

6. Operating mechanism for typewriters, said mechanism comprising a type-carrier, a key-lever, a system of levers interposed between said keylever and said type-carrier, said system of 'levers for actuating said feed rail, said pawl engaging with the carriage feed rail lever whereby said rail is under the control of said pawl.

7. Operating mechanism for typewriters, said mechanism comprising a type-carrier, guidemeans for guiding said type-carrier in a direction perpendicular to the platen of a typewriter, a

thrust and motion members including a weighted lever interposed between said type-carrier and said key-lever, said guide-means including a guide-rod mounted dis- .placeably in bearing-elements, a crank-lever mounted swingabiy on a bearing-block positioned below said guide-rod, adjusting means for said bearing-block to vary the swing of said cranklever, said system of thrust and motion members includingan actuating lever mounted with said including a weighted lever, a guide-rod for said crank-lever in a common plane, one in the rear of the other, between two bearing members;

8. Operating mechanism for typewriters, said mechanism comprising a type-carrier, guidemeans for guiding said type-carrier in a direction perpendicular to the platen oi a typewriter,

a key-lever, a system of thrust and motion members including a, weighted lever interposed between said type-carrier and said key-lever, said guide-means including a guide-rod mounted displaceably in bearing-elements, a double-armed actuating lever mounted with one of said thrust and motion members in a common plane, one in the rear of the other, between two bearing members, a crank-lever mounted on an adjustable bearing-block, said bearing-block being likewise positioned between the aforesaid two bearing members.

9. Operating mechanism for typewriters, said mechanism comprising a type-carrier, guidemeans for guiding said type-carrier in a direction perpendicular to the platen of a typewriter, a key-lever, a system of thrust and motion members including a weighted lever interposed between said type-carrier and said key-lever, said guidemeans including a guide-rod mounted displaceably in bearing-elements, a double-armed actu-- ating lever mounted with one of said thrust and motion members in a. common plane, one in the rear of the other, between two bearing members, a crank-lever mounted on an adjustable bearingblock, said bearing-block being likewise positioned between the aforesaid two bearing members, said system of thrust and motion members as well as said weighted lever and said actuating lever as a whole being mounted partly above and partly below said guide-rod;

10. Operating mechanism for typewriters, said mechanism comprising a type-carrier, guidemeans for guiding said typ fcan'ier in a directicn perpendicular to the platen of a typewriter, a key-lever, a, system of thrust and motion members including a weighted leverinterposed between said type-carrier and said key-lever, said guide-means including a guide-rod mounted displaceably in bearing-elements, a double-armed actuating lever mounted with one of said thrust and motion members in a common plane, one in the rear of the other, between two bearing members, a crank-lever mounted on an adjustable bearing-block, said bearing-block being likewise positioned between the aforesaid two bearing members, said double-armed actuating lever andsaid crank-lever being mounted to swing about a common axle on the aforesaid bearing-block.

11. Operating mechanism for typewriters, said mechanism comprising a type carrier, a key lever, a system of levers interposed between said key lever and said type carrier, said system of levers including a weighted lever, and a guide rod'i'or said type can ier, said guide rod being displace.- ably mounted in bearing elements, said system of levers and said weighted lever being compactly arranged above and below said guide rod and being mounted on supports arranged below said uide rod.

12. Operating mechanism for typewriters said mechanism comprising a type carrier, guide means for guiding said type carrier in a direction perpendicular to the platen of a typewriter, a key lever, and a system 01' thrust and motion members including a weighted lever interposed between said type carrier and said key lever, said guide means including a guide rod mounted displaceably in bearing elements, said system of thrust and motion members as well as saidweighted. lever being compactly arranged above and below said guide rod and mounted on supports arranged below said guide rod.

13. Operating mechanism for typewriters, said mechanism comprising a type carrier, a key lever, a system of levers interposed between said key lever and said type carrier, said system of levers including a weighted lever, a guide rod for said typecarrier, said guide rod being displaceably, mounted in bearing elements, said system of levers and said weighted lever being mounted as a whole partly above and partly below said guide rod, said system of levers including a thrust lever in operative connection with said key lever, said thrust lever having a straight slot and an outwardly directed circular extension of said slot, the center point of said circular extension coinciding with the point oi rotation of said thrust lever, a double armed transmission lever cooperating with said key lever and engaging with said slot, and an abutment 101- said transmission leg? adapted to release said system of levers and type carrier from said key lever, in depressed condition thereof, whereby said system of levers and said type carrier may follow the tree swinging motion of said weighted lever.

' GEORG BAIER. 

